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<DIV>BESB lined me up for a job in New Haven a little more then a year
ago. I had a 6 month training and I was paid $11.50 per hour during the
training period,. BESB was supposely getting Federal Funding to pay for
this. I was paid by Amaricach[not sure how to spell it]. Americash
was being given money to cover my wages, paid additional for their handling the
paperwork and pay allowance for my trainer, who basically gave me a brief one to
one and watched over the other 7 people working there.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I in turn paid $12 per day in transportation getting back and forth from
New Haven to Stratford , as my mobility instructor would not give me the OK to
travel by train up there due to the train station in New Haven did not have a
conductor on the train only the engineer at the station I was getting
on. It was not a busy station as I was usually alone waiting
for the train.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>After the 6 month training was over, I continued to work and went on a
piece work rate. [no choice on that] My first pay check was for one
day that I worked 5 hours and got paid $6. So that is $1.20 per hour and I
paid $12 for transpertation. Basically, I did not go back as I could not
afford to work there.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I totally do not understand why BESB lined me up with this job. They
went thru the mobility training that didn't work out and then I went thru
getting Bridgeport Transit and New Haven Transit to agree to exchange me at
Milford Hospital as Bridgeport Transit only goes to WalMart and New Haven
transit only goes to CT Post Shopping Center, both in Milford. BESB paid
me an hourly wage of $11.50 per hour while in training. I went thru bad
weather and snow to get there and wated for buses and sat on buses for up
to 3 hours to get from Stratford to New Haven, but I didn't give up. BESB
guided me right over to the top of the clif and while the wind was blowing my
hair and I was feeling great for working and making some income, they patted me
on the back while I took that last step off the clif. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you want a job don't look to BESB or whatever they call themselves at
this point. Go out and do it yourself.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">Joyce
Kane<BR><A
href="http://www.krafterskorner.org/">www.KraftersKorner.org</A><BR>Blindhands@AOL.com
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 11/9/2012 8:35:31 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
ckuell@comcast.net writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>I know
many ACB members who are capable, competent blind people. They <BR>believe in
independence, Braille, and the right of all blind people to <BR>become active
members in the workplace and society. Marcia dresser, who used <BR>to live in
Connecticut and was the first VP of the ACB here, worked with us <BR>to help
pass a Braille bill back in 1999. I was on several BESB committees <BR>with
her, and I admire Marcia and her husband Steve, also blind and an <BR>active
ACB member, very much. I've met people at national convention who are
<BR>members of both NFB and ACB--although Dr. Maurer would certainly
<BR>excommunicate them if he found out. Again, these are capable, competent,
<BR>admirable blind people, who are networking and not judging people by
<BR>affiliation, but rather by character.<BR><BR>I see the ACB and NFB as
completely analogous to republicans and democrats. <BR>Both groups have a
vision for our country, but they have different ideas on <BR>how to get there.
Neither side is evil, although I have my doubts about the <BR>folks at Fox
news, but for some reason, people get fired up when they feel <BR>they have an
enemy, which is how far too many NFBers and ACBers react. I've <BR>studied
both organizations, and choose to be an NFB member because I think <BR>our
philosophy best matches my own personality. But I don't think the ACB is
<BR>wrong, just different. I would summarize this way: The NFB wants training
<BR>and opportunities for blind people, while the ACB wants understanding and
<BR>accommodations.<BR><BR>I listened to the ACB audio clip, twice, and I find
it fascinating how <BR>different people react to the same stimuli. I didn't
hear any slamming of <BR>the NFB, I just heard a single sentence saying 'it's
an NFB bill'. The <BR>sentence wasn't said with love or enthusiasm, and in
fact probably held a <BR>little disdain, but I certainly wouldn't call it
slamming.<BR><BR>ACB's decision not to support HR 3086 is hardly comparable to
Hitler gassing <BR>the Jews or the English exterminating Native Americans.
It's a decision <BR>based on facts, math, and mission. NIB doesn't pay blind
workers below <BR>minimum wage. Good will does, but by my calculation,it's
very few blind <BR>people. The large majority of the few hundred disabled
workers who receive <BR>below minimum wage are multi-disabled, almost all with
severe cognitive <BR>disabilities. And the small percentage of blind people
who are included in <BR>this class are also multi-disabled, with blindness the
least of their <BR>troubles. Traditionally, the NFB has not fought on behalf
of other <BR>disabilities, and DR. Maurer himself told me personally that 'it
dilutes our <BR>message'. The NFB has decided to fight on behalf of people
with other <BR>disabilities in taking on HR 3086, while the ACB has decided
that they <BR>won't. It's not evil, it's simply a different
viewpoint.<BR><BR>Deb, are you sorry you asked?
Smile.<BR><BR>chris<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Ct-nfb
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